a formal dance held by high school students
Short for 'promenade', from French 'se promener' meaning 'to take a walk'
Prom is short for 'promenade' because the original formal dances began with couples taking a ceremonial walk around the ballroom - quite literally a fancy stroll!
Prom culture in 20th-century America institutionalized gender hierarchies: boys as active askers, girls as passive recipients. Dress codes enforced femininity. This power dynamic persisted in school rituals.
Frame prom as an event anyone can initiate attending, with flexible roles and dress. Avoid language like 'getting asked'—use 'going with' or 'attending together.'
["formal dance","celebration"]
Young women were gatekeepers of prom's social value despite being positioned as passive. Today's student-led proposals across gender lines reclaim agency.
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